If you or your predecessors had done something to close the nation's back door, we wouldn't be in this fix, where U.S. citizens are left to wonder whether they'll be asked for their papers simply because of the color of their skin. Where our ranchers live in a war zone and our largest city is the kidnapping capital of the planet.

Where everybody is now dug in to whichever foxhole they've chosen in this fight  alien invader or noble immigrant -- with little room for middle ground or rational discussion.

A few hours before Brewer signed the bill, President Obama stood in his Rose Garden and lashed out at SB 1070, saying it threatens to undermine basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans, as well as the trust between police and our communities that is so crucial to keeping us safe.

He's right. But this bill is now state law because the trust between our communities and our federal government was long ago broken.

It is because of Washington's steadfast refusal to do its job that we find ourselves where we are today  when half of Arizona Democrats, 69 percent of independents and a whopping 84 percent of Republicans support SB 1070, according to the latest Rasmussen Poll of likely voters.

Dismiss this, if you like, as the work of the radical fringe, as Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund did on Friday. But 70 percent of likely voters supported this law.

The way things are going, we very well could have Sen. J.D. Hayworth, Gov. Joe Arpaio and Attorney General Andy Thomas running this place by the end of the year.

Can you hear us now, Mrs. Pelosi? And you, Harry Reid?

I'm assuming that you can because by the end of the week, immigration reform rocketed up Washington's to-do list, above climate-change legislation  and this during Earth Day week.

Surely we can all agree that when 11 million people in our country are living here illegally, outside the system, that's unacceptable, Obama said Friday. The American people demand and deserve a solution. And they deserve common-sense, comprehensive immigration reform grounded in the principles of responsibility and accountability.

They do. But first, they deserve to know that Uzi toting drug runners and human smugglers are no longer running through our desert.

Brewer's been asking for National Guard troops to be sent to the border for 13 months, as then-Gov. Janet Napolitano did before her.

If we are now a police state, it's because nobody's been listening.

Click to expand...

IMO there are serious constitutional and civil rights issues with the law. But the passage of the law is having one positive effect: It's making national (DC) politicians acknowledge the elephant in the room.

The one part of the law that they got dead on was the imposition of stiff penalties to companies or individuals who employ illegal aliens.

If you or your predecessors had done something to close the nation's back door, we wouldn't be in this fix, where U.S. citizens are left to wonder whether they'll be asked for their papers simply because of the color of their skin. Where our ranchers live in a war zone and our largest city is the kidnapping capital of the planet.

Where everybody is now dug in to whichever foxhole they've chosen in this fight  alien invader or noble immigrant -- with little room for middle ground or rational discussion.

A few hours before Brewer signed the bill, President Obama stood in his Rose Garden and lashed out at SB 1070, saying it threatens to undermine basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans, as well as the trust between police and our communities that is so crucial to keeping us safe.

He's right. But this bill is now state law because the trust between our communities and our federal government was long ago broken.

It is because of Washington's steadfast refusal to do its job that we find ourselves where we are today  when half of Arizona Democrats, 69 percent of independents and a whopping 84 percent of Republicans support SB 1070, according to the latest Rasmussen Poll of likely voters.

Dismiss this, if you like, as the work of the radical fringe, as Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund did on Friday. But 70 percent of likely voters supported this law.

The way things are going, we very well could have Sen. J.D. Hayworth, Gov. Joe Arpaio and Attorney General Andy Thomas running this place by the end of the year.

Can you hear us now, Mrs. Pelosi? And you, Harry Reid?

I'm assuming that you can because by the end of the week, immigration reform rocketed up Washington's to-do list, above climate-change legislation  and this during Earth Day week.

Surely we can all agree that when 11 million people in our country are living here illegally, outside the system, that's unacceptable, Obama said Friday. The American people demand and deserve a solution. And they deserve common-sense, comprehensive immigration reform grounded in the principles of responsibility and accountability.

They do. But first, they deserve to know that Uzi toting drug runners and human smugglers are no longer running through our desert.

Brewer's been asking for National Guard troops to be sent to the border for 13 months, as then-Gov. Janet Napolitano did before her.

If we are now a police state, it's because nobody's been listening.

Click to expand...

IMO there are serious constitutional and civil rights issues with the law. But the passage of the law is having one positive effect: It's making national (DC) politicians acknowledge the elephant in the room.

The one part of the law that they got dead on was the imposition of stiff penalties to companies or individuals who employ illegal aliens.

DC politicians acknowledge this issue, the problem with DC politicians however is they won't do anything about it because it's a third rail issue. Any politician who takes a stance against illegal immigration in the form of something not amnesty, they'll lose the Hispanic vote or at the very least alienate them.

DC politicians acknowledge this issue, the problem with DC politicians however is they won't do anything about it because it's a third rail issue. Any politician who takes a stance against illegal immigration in the form of something not amnesty, they'll lose the Hispanic vote or at the very least alienate them.

Click to expand...

When I said "acknowledge" I was implying that they are pretty much going to have to do something about it now.

When I said "acknowledge" I was implying that they are pretty much going to have to do something about it now.

I should have been clearer.

Click to expand...

I see, duly noted and cleared up. You are definitely correct then, they are going to have to take a stand on the issue. This is actually one issue where the Democrats have room to be more tougher than the Republicans I think. Especially when you have things like this:

DC politicians acknowledge this issue, the problem with DC politicians however is they won't do anything about it because it's a third rail issue. Any politician who takes a stance against illegal immigration in the form of something not amnesty, they'll lose the Hispanic vote or at the very least alienate them.

Click to expand...

When I said "acknowledge" I was implying that they are pretty much going to have to do something about it now.

I should have been clearer.

Click to expand...

Yes, but unfortunately they will probably come up with something that is no more than an amnesty hidden behind some other programs and words. Difficult enough to fool most of the people but when the smoke clears it will still be nothing but amnesty; and that will not solve the problem and could even make it worse. It certainly got worse after Reagan's amnesty.

When I said "acknowledge" I was implying that they are pretty much going to have to do something about it now.

I should have been clearer.

Click to expand...

I see, duly noted and cleared up. You are definitely correct then, they are going to have to take a stand on the issue. This is actually one issue where the Democrats have room to be more tougher than the Republicans I think. Especially when you have things like this:

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - The state Senate has not passed a bill that would make companies that hire illegal aliens ineligible for tax breaks and government contracts.

Republican Minority Leader Scott Fitzgerald objected to taking a vote on the bill Thursday, which effectively kills it for the year.

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This was two days ago.

Click to expand...

I'd fine with whatever party gets tough. Doesn't matter to me. During the Bush years, (national) Republicans were pandering to the Hispanic vote. Since then, (national) Democrats have taken over that crown.

I don't care who decides to actually do something about it. As long as it gets done.

DC politicians acknowledge this issue, the problem with DC politicians however is they won't do anything about it because it's a third rail issue. Any politician who takes a stance against illegal immigration in the form of something not amnesty, they'll lose the Hispanic vote or at the very least alienate them.

Click to expand...

When I said "acknowledge" I was implying that they are pretty much going to have to do something about it now.

I should have been clearer.

Click to expand...

Yes, but unfortunately they will probably come up with something that is no more than an amnesty hidden behind some other programs and words. Difficult enough to fool most of the people but when the smoke clears it will still be nothing but amnesty; and that will not solve the problem and could even make it worse. It certainly got worse after Reagan's amnesty.

Click to expand...

IMO any realistic form of immigration reform will have some component of amnesty. No other way around it. Could be that it is a temporary amnesty while the person is being processed, or a permanent form of amnesty for people who can prove that they have been here longer than xxxx years, but some form of amnesty is going to happen.

With no amnesty, the only option is to deport everyone and tell them to try again legally. That ain't gonna happen.

When I said "acknowledge" I was implying that they are pretty much going to have to do something about it now.

I should have been clearer.

Click to expand...

Yes, but unfortunately they will probably come up with something that is no more than an amnesty hidden behind some other programs and words. Difficult enough to fool most of the people but when the smoke clears it will still be nothing but amnesty; and that will not solve the problem and could even make it worse. It certainly got worse after Reagan's amnesty.

Click to expand...

IMO any realistic form of immigration reform will have some component of amnesty. No other way around it. Could be that it is a temporary amnesty while the person is being processed, or a permanent form of amnesty for people who can prove that they have been here longer than xxxx years, but some form of amnesty is going to happen.

With no amnesty, the only option is to deport everyone and tell them to try again legally. That ain't gonna happen.

Click to expand...

I agree it won't happen. But it should. And we could even start with the thousands who are already taking up space in our prisons.

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